Zach Braun: The Heroic Sophomore
by Courtnerrr
Summary: [COMPLETE] Zach could just glow before. But his newfound powers take him places. Reviews are welcome!
1. Zach's Class Change

Disclaimer: I own nothing with Sky High. Just Erika.

**Chapter 1**  
_Zach's Class Change_

The bad thing about sophomore year, no more bus. So Will flew me and Layla to school, it was so cool! Yeah, I sound like a real loser right now don't I? Probably. So let me start over.

Hi, I'm Zach Braun. I'm in Hero Support at Sky High and I glow. So, now you know me. And back to my story.

Here we are, Will, Layla, and me were sitting outside the school when they abandoned me, so I was sitting on the steps outside the school, having nothing better to do. Time was ticking down and everyone began to enter the school. I hadn't noticed that much. Then the whole area was empty, and I got up and ran to class. Somehow I had gotten there within a minute.

Ethan looked at me with wide-eyes, "Zach… What did you just do?"

I thought, and then looked at the clock, "But that's… That can't be…"

"You have super-speed Zach!" Ethan exclaimed, squealing a little bit.

"Dude… And I thought glowing was cool."

"Zach… what if you get transferred?" Layla asked me, turning around.

"I never thought of that…"

One girl Erika's eyes grew wide, she sat next to me. She had the power to burn things, but, like Layla, had refused to show it at Power Placement and was happy with being a sidekick. "Zach… What if you do get transferred? This class would be so different…"

"And you'd be a year behind in the hero class!" Magenta said to me.

Ethan pushed up his glasses, "But Will would help him!" He said, excited at the idea of me being a hero.

I simply shook my head. "Dudes… We can't let Mr. Boy find out yet."

"But you'll be letting your powers go to waste!" Ethan exclaimed yet again, he seemed to be the only one happy about me gaining super speed.

I looked at him, "Are you trying to get rid of me, I said, holding my pen, and it cracked, causing ink to spill all over my desk." I sighed, "Damn it!"

Ethan tried cracking his pen, "Zach! You have super strength too!"

This one kid, Rachel, who had cleaning powers came and cleaned off my desk.

"Uh thanks?" I said, a bit confused.

"Anything for a future hero."

"I'm not going to be a hero!" I said, getting a bit annoyed.

Mr. Boy came in, "Oh yes you are Zach."

I raised my eyebrows, thinking to myself, '_He knows… Uh oh…_' "May I ask this question, how?"

"All sidekicks are heroes. I mean, how are the true heroes going to get their sandwiches without a sidekick?" Mr. Boy started, "And you! If a villain turns out the power, you can glow and lead the way! That's being a hero all in itself."

Ethan spoke up, there was nothing I could do to stop him, because if I lunged for him, he would melt. "But Mr. Boy. Zach has super-speed, and super-strength!"

I slammed my head onto the desk, causing it to crack. "Damn." I cursed under my breath.

"Well Mr. Braun. Now that I've seen it for myself, you are going to have to get your class changed, off to Principal Powers."

I glared at Ethan, a bit mad. I know it is every kid's dream at Sky High to be in the Hero class. But I had grown close to all the sidekicks in Hero Support. So I slowly made my way to the Principal's office. I saw Lash and Speed standing in the hallway.

"Hey it's the Human Glow Worm!" Lash said, stretching his arm out to trip me.

I grabbed his arm and slammed him into a bunch of lockers, then Speed lunged for me, and I ran faster than him, bolting to Principal Powers' office.

Principal Powers opened her door. "Yes. Zach, I've been expecting you." She ushered me in. I sat down. "Now. From what I hear you have powers worthy of the hero class?"

"I guess…" I muttered.

"Well, let me see!" She exclaimed.

I thought, Layla and Erika were both worthy of hero class, but didn't bother showing their powers. So I decided my escape, "I don't feel right using my powers unless I have to."

"Zach, you aren't fooling me. Out with it."

I frowned and picked up one of her chairs, I cracked it without even straining. Then I ran out of the office and ran around the whole school, and reentered in less than a minute. "There." I said, sighing, I was leaving my friends, it was definite.

"Zach. Welcome to Hero Class." She gave me my new schedule and I moped down to Mr. Medulla's room.

I entered and slid in.

Mr. Medulla looked at me, "Take a seat with Mr. Stronghold please."

I walked over to Will and sat down. Will looked at me, "May I ask, what happened?"

"I have speed and strength."

"They transferred you in sophomore year?"

"Yeah. I didn't want to though."

We were building a heat ray. Will looked at me again, "At least we're together am I right?"

"Yeah… But if you're so happy that I'm here, thank Ethan. He busted me."

"You know Mr. Boy would've found out eventually."

"Yeah… But I thought that if it was far enough into the year it would be too far in to switch me, and then I'd be unable to be switched, because I had 2 years of hero support."

"Hmm… Interesting theory."

We finished our heat ray just as Mr. Medulla was coming back. He zapped an ice cube and it melted instantly, "You two did excellent, even if you were talking the whole time." He began to walk away and then walked back, "Neither of you are techno-paths are you? Remember what happened to the last techno-path?" He walked away laughing.

I was confused, I didn't know what he was talking about, I looked at Will, "Huh?"

"Gwen was a techno-path and she turned into Royal Pain. Err… she WAS Royal Pain. And now she's in jail."

"Oh… Well, I glow, I have super strength, and I have super speed. Yee and hah."

"It's good things to have. But I know what you mean, when I first transferred I missed everyone so much."

"I'm going to miss Magenta turning into a guinea pig every class… And Layla reviving Mr. Boy's plant. And Ethan… Well, I'm going to miss him melting into a giant puddle and causing me to fall on my ass." I said, snickering, "But most of all I'm going to miss Erika… Torching anyone who messed with me…"

"Someone likes Erika."

"Shut up. I do not!"

"Okay Zach. Whatever you say!"

I thought about it, maybe I did… But I didn't know for sure… And now I had no way to find out if I truly did or not. Because well, we weren't in any classes but gym together.


	2. Dad Finds Out

Disclaimer: I do not own Sky High. But I own Mr. Lash. LoL

A/N: I know this chapter is bad. But review please?

**Chapter 2  
**_ Dad Finds Out_

A simple day, well not exactly. But Hero class hadn't been as bad as I thought. Dinner had been fine, Mom cooked a big dinner for us, seeing as I had "gone up with impressive stats" not that I had any idea what that meant. As for now, I was sitting in my room, working on my homework, when my name was screamed up the stairs. By my dad. Did I know what was going on? Nope.

"ZACHARY NICHOLAS BRAUN!" My father screamed up the stairs, "DOWNSTAIRS NOW!"

I walked down the stairs, "Whatever it is. I didn't do it." Then I thought to myself, '_What have I done today? Transferred to Hero Class… Beat the crap out of Lash… Oh shit…_'

I was standing at the bottom of the stairs that led to our living room, and I saw what I had been dreading, Lash, sitting on my couch. And his father, sitting in my chair. I was kind of ready for anything. Okay, I lied. I was so scared of what Dad was going to do, that I think I was glowing. Which I never do unintentionally… I sat down on the couch, acting like I had no idea of what was going on.

Lash looked at me and wanted to say something, but didn't. That was probably because his dear father was sitting right there with us. Actually, I knew that was what it was. I wanted to say something too, but the shade of red on my father's face made me do otherwise. Otherwise contained of sitting on my butt and not speaking unless spoken to.

My father sat in the other chair in the living room. "Zach. Would you like to tell us something involving Lash here?"

I thought for a minute, then decided what I would say, "What is there I can tell you? He's a bully, he'd pick on me all the time when I was a sidekick, and he's jealous that I'm a sophomore with better powers." I said, leaning back on the couch.

Lash looked at me with his mouth hanging open, "Me? Jealous of you?" He laughed, "That's great."

"So you make fun of sidekicks because you have no other life?"

"Sidekicks are a disgrace to Sky High and should have to go to another school!"

"That doesn't give you the right to insult them."

"I believe it does. If you want to purify the school you have to do something about it."

"Why purify? It's pointless. Because I'm going to laugh if you die in a battle because you didn't have a sidekick to save your stretchable ass!" I seemed to have forgotten my father was there he hated swearing. He didn't say anything though he let us keep going.

"At least my ass looks good!"

"Well, why are you checking yourself out? Gay are you? I knew you were always gay for that fat piece of lard Speed. And the only reason I outran him today, was because I'm in shape, and he has at least 500 pounds of excess fat." My face turned pale, '_Oh shit…_'

My father jumped in, "Now, why did you have to outrun this 'Speed' person?" He knew what had happened, but he was giving me a chance to say it myself.

'_To lie, or not to lie. That is the question…_' I thought to myself, '_Lying it is._' I took a deep breath; "I had to out run Speed today because him and Lash were bullying me, calling me the Human Glow Worm. And saying that I'd never support any hero because glowing isn't that great a power." I actually held back a smirk for once, "And then Lash tripped me, causing Speed to try and grab me, so that he could dunk me. And that's when I had to out run him." Everyone who went to Sky High knew what dunking was, the 'human' term was 'swirly' but at Sky High it was called dunking.

My dad looked at Lash, "You were going to dunk my son?" His eyes glowed with anger.

"No." Lash said, a look of true honesty appeared on his face, much unlike the one on mine.

Lash's father was a quiet guy, much unlike his own son. He spoke for the first time since I entered the living room, "Tell your side Lash."

"Yes Dad." Lash said staying where he was and began to tell the story. "As you both know, Zach has newfound powers, strength and speed, I of course didn't know this when I was at my locker with Speed and saw him coming. So I thought 'What can he do? A little verbal torment won't hurt anyone… Much' And so I said it 'Hey Human Glow Worm, why aren't you in Hero Support?' And Speed and me laughed, seeing as it wasn't very often that you see a sidekick roaming the halls without a mob. I decided to torment him." He paused at a look of anger from my dad, "But nothing like dunking." He added before moving on with his story, "So I decided to stretch my arm out and trip him. It didn't work, he was too quick, and he grabbed my arm and slammed me into the lockers. I guess it was revenge for all the times I shoved him into a locker and he got out because he was glowing… But that's another story. He then began running to get away from us, and he was going a little slower than Speed usually does, so Speed ran after him, and he sped up, going 5 times Speed's speed. And then he went into the principal's office before we could do anything else."

My father's glare turned to me, "You slammed him into a locker!"

My eyes grew wide, "Not like, shoved him in…" I said.

"He grabbed my arm, flung me over his head and I landed on the lockers. Quite painful." Lash stated.

My father shook his head.

I knew exactly what he was thinking, '_The day my son gets good powers he abuses them…_' His thoughts I was sure. But I needed to defend myself, because I knew that if Lash had succeeded in tripping me, Speed would have picked me up and dunked me. And I couldn't let that happen. I mean heroes don't get dunked! It was Sky High tradition!

I didn't say anything; I just glared at Lash, a bit annoyed with him. Well, not a bit, but I was ready to brutally murder him once our fathers left the room.

My father simply looked at me, he didn't have to say anything. I knew what he meant, I walked up to my room, well, actually ran at full speed up to my room, and sat there.

As I sat there I heard my father talking to Lash's dad, and Lash, "I'm so sorry about Zach's behavior, he's usually not like that. His newfound powers must've given him a big ego."

Lash's father spoke next, "Not a problem, we'll just have to keep our eyes out so it doesn't happen again."

I sat on my bed, being able to hear everything they said, "Or train your son not to be a fucking asshole." I muttered. I ran down the stairs and out the front door, glowing now since it was dark out. I ran to Will's house and rang the doorbell.

He answered, "Zach? Don't you live like… 5 miles away, how'd you get here?"

I shrugged, "I ran…"

"Oh yeah. You have super-speed now. Come on in, parents are out saving the world."

I stepped in and we both sat on his couch, "My dear father has Lash at my house."

"Lash the stretching kid? The one that is always a bully to us?"

"Yeah. That Lash."

"Why is he at your house?"

That's when I decided to tell Will the story, "When I was going to Principal Powers' office, him and Speed were kind of standing in the hallway, they started some crap with me, and I slammed Lash into a locker, then out ran Speed. That happens to be the short version."

"So now Lash is at your house… Because your dad is trying to find out why you slammed him into a locker?"

"He found out why. And is now mad at me. He thinks I'm in my room."

"Wait… you climbed out your window to get here?"

"No. I ran so fast past the living room that no one noticed I had left."

"That's a good way to get away from certain people."

I looked around, I thought I heard something, "Will. Did you hear footsteps?"

Will listened, "Actually… Yes. They're coming from the front yard."

I walked to the window and looked, "It's Lash!"

"It's what?"

"Lash!"

"What is he doing here?"

"My dad probably sent him to look for me."

"Stay here, and do NOT glow." Will said to me, knowing that if I started glowing I'd be given away instantly.

I listened to Will and went back to the couch. Staying there, and not glowing.

Will walked out to the front yard and looked at Lash, "Get off my property you scum!"

((A/N: Will Zach be found? What will happen to Will and Lash! Review please!))


	3. Ganging up on Zach

D/C: I own nothing. Except Lash's padre

A/N: Review please!

**Chapter 3**  
_Ganging Up On Zach_

Lash turned around and glared at Will, "Where's Glow Worm?" He asked, referring to me.

"If you're talking about Zach, I don't know." Will said, glaring at him, not wanting to give me away.

Lash shook his head, "Sophomores. Such bad liars." He said, "I'm not as dumb as I look. I know that the Glow Worm is inside your house. You two are best friends."

"How would he even get here? It's like… miles away from his house."

"For being his best friend you don't know him too well. He has super-speed remember?"

"And how do you know he's not sitting up in his room, laughing at you for being out here looking for him?"

"Because his dad already checked."

"And why were you at his house in the first place? Your crush from Speed turned to a crush on Zach?"

Lash's arm stretched out and he tripped Will. "Shut up Stronghold."

I was tempted to go out there and slam Lash into the middle of the road. And my temptation took over. I bolted out and grabbed Lash's arm again, slamming him into the road. "Never trip my friends." I said, not even moving, I just stood there.

Will stood up, and I was glowing. "Thanks for the light Zach."

My answer was a simple, "No problem."

Lash stood up, "Not smart Glow Worm. Not smart at all."

"Oh, kind of like you?"

"You're already in trouble with your dad, and here you are making it worse for yourself."

"And I care because…"

"You should care. Because I have powers over you!"

"Yeah… okay. Whatever Lash."

Will snickered as I kept talking, "I can outrun you. I can beat the shit out of you, and I can light up a dark passageway better than you can."

"And your dad thinks that I'm a great person. And will listen to anything I say. So I could tell him that you were doing some things you weren't supposed to and he'll listen to me."

I took this as my hint; I began to bolt home and was up in my room before anyone even noticed I was back.

My father stormed upstairs, where he found me lying on my bed writing out the theory of how to build a heat ray. "Where have you been?" He asked me.

"Right here."

"Tell the truth."

"Right here." I repeated.

My father turned around and walked back downstairs. Lash came back in, out of breath, "He was at Stronghold's."

I couldn't see my father's face, but I knew it was full of anger, "I knew he was lying…"

As I was sitting on my bed, the small tree below my window grew up to my windowsill, and Layla, Erika, and Will climbed into my window, I shut and locked my door and went back to my bed, "What are you guys doing here? You all know I'm in trouble already."

Layla shrugged, "Will told us what happened. And we wanted to make sure you were okay."

Erika sat on my bed next to me, "Lash is a dumbass." That's all she said and I smiled.

"That's the cold hard truth." I said, still smiling.

Layla sat on my windowsill. "So, your dad is mad at you because you slammed Lash into a wall of lockers?"

I nodded. "Yeah. And he doesn't even know what happened at Will's."

Will laughed, "That was great." He said, smirking.

Erika and Layla looked at us, "What happened?" Erika asked.

Will told them, "Zach grabbed Lash's arm and slammed him into the middle of my street."

Erika laughed. "That's great Zach."

I heard someone pounding on my door, "ZACHARY NICHOLAS BRAUN! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!"

I whispered to them, "Go! Quick! I'll see you all tomorrow!"

By the time I opened my door, they were gone. "Yes Dad?" I said, holding my science notebook to look like I'd been doing homework.

"Lash told me what happened. Where you were. What you did."

"Oh, so he told you that I've been in my room doing homework? Great, for once he didn't try to get me in trouble. It's a miracle."

"No. He told me that you were at Stronghold's house, slamming him into the middle of the street."

"Look who is lying this time." I said, referring to Lash, I walked over to my bed and sat on it, "Anything else you'd like to yell at me about, just get it all out now. So that I can finish my homework."

"What I would really like is for you to lose the attitude."

I stared at my ceiling, I had no comment. I just wanted him to leave. I needed to plot something for Save The Citizen tomorrow.

My father must've taken the hint, for he turned and walked away. "Finally." I whispered to myself. I grabbed my other notebook, it had a drawing of the gym, with the citizen over the thing.

I already knew that Lash and Speed would be the villains, leaving me to be a hero with someone else. They'd always pick Will. So I assumed it would be me and Will.

My plot was well underway.

((What is Zach's plot? Will it work? Find out in Chapter 4. Save The Citizen.))


	4. Save the Citizen

D/C: I own Erika and Lash's Dad.

A/N: Review please!

**Chapter 4**  
_Save The Citizen_

Gym class, the horrors could only begin to be mentioned. My plan was starting off the way I wanted it to. Lash and Speed were paired up, and had chosen to be villains. And Coach Boomer was having them pick their heroes. The choices were predictable, "Stronghold and Glow Worm." Will and I walked down from the bleachers and stood across from Lash and Speed. I had told Will my plan earlier, and he agreed with it completely.

Coach Boomer began to talk, "Alright, I believe you all know the rules. But Stronghold, Braun, you 2 have to immobilize Marshall and Davis, and then save the citizen from the chopping thing. Got it?" He blew his whistle. "Go!"

I ran over to Lash and tossed him in the air causing him to fall to the ground, he was shaking a little, from being tossed by a sophomore, but I took this opportunity to stretch him out and tie his legs to the pole, and his arms to Boomer's chair. Will had tossed Speed into the bleachers, and he was stunned for a little bit. I ran over and started punching him, while Will flew over and saved the citizen. We had won the game in 25 seconds. Thanks to 'The Braun Plan' as everyone was calling it.

Even Coach Boomer was impressed, it wasn't often that 2 sophomores defeated 2 seniors in Save the Citizen. And Will and I had done it.

Lash was trying to get off of the pole, and I was hesitant to get him off. But Will had already helped Speed up and had brought him over to the bleachers. I began walking over to the bleachers when Coach Boomer blew his whistle at me, "Braun! Let Marshall down." All the sidekicks were laughing, they loved seeing Lash stuck to the pole. Him and Speed had been their main cause of torment ever since their term at Sky High began.

As I untied Lash and he whispered to me, "I'm going to get you for this Glow Worm."

I let him fall to the ground, and whispered back, "It's just a game." I walked over to the bleachers and sat with Erika, Layla, Will, and the rest of the sophomore sidekicks.

Will looked at me, smirking, "Were you really going to leave him there?"

"Yes." I said, nodding my head. "He's a jerk, he should've had to stay stretched out like that."

Layla shook her head, "You are so mean Zach."

"Remember last night? Lash totally deserved it!" Erika said, laughing. Another group of 4 went and played. The people were Warren, Larry, this kid that could shape shift into a dragon, and a kid that could turn into anyone he wanted to.

We ignored the game and kept talking. But we were interrupted. By Lash, "You know I'm going to get you for this right Braun?"

"Try it."

"Oh, I will. And by trying I will succeed."

"Yeah right!" Erika said, "Zach kicked your ass in Save the Citizen, and he could probably kick your ass in other things too!"

"Braun, I see you have your one-person fan club." Lash said, snickering.

I tried to hold back, not wanting to get myself in trouble, but, as usual, holding back didn't work, "Shut up Lash. My dad may believe everything you say, even if it is a lie. But that doesn't give you the right to mess with my friends." I glared at him, "So shut the hell up before I kick your stretchable ass in Save the Citizen again."

"What is your obsession with my stretchable ass?"

"No obsession. You just need to shut the fuck up and get away from me before I get pissed off."

"Or what?"

"You know what."

"Yeah. Sure I do."

Gym ended, and I was now more pissed off than I have ever been in my entire life. Will, me, and the rest of the hero class walked to Mr. Medulla's room. Ready to create lightning rays. I handed Mr. Medulla my theory assignment and began working on creating the lightning ray with Will.

Throughout the whole class people would come back to us, acting like they were asking for help. Only they were truly congratulating us on our win against Lash and Speed. Personally I didn't think it was a big deal, I was just glad that I had beaten Lash.

Will and I completed our lightning ray, and as we waited for Mr. Medulla to come check it we talked.

"You think he'll make this more than it is?"

"Do you think I know?" I asked, leaning back in my chair.

"Good point. He's… unpredictable when it comes to this stuff. But so predictable when it comes to bullying."

"Yeah… Otherwise I would have handled it by now."

We were interrupted by the door opening, it was Lash, "Mr. Medulla, Principal Powers would like the Glow- Zach Braun in her office."

Mr. Medulla looked at me, "Go on."

I looked at Will, "Yeah right." I whispered, but I left anyway. Of course, wherever Lash was, Speed wasn't that far away. "What do you want?" I asked them, wanting to get back to class.

Speed laughed, "What do you think we want Glow Worm?"

"By the fact that you seem to be acting as if I don't have super strength I'm thinking that you want me to beat the crap out of you again."

Lash shook his head, "You wouldn't." He said, shrugging, "You don't have the courage to face your dad again."

I hated to even think this, but Lash was right. I really didn't want to deal with my dad again. "Hit me." I said, seeing if he would bring himself to it.

I realized, bad idea. For Lash did bring himself to it, and punched me in the stomach, shoving me into the nearest locker. I, of course, was glowing and ripped off the locker door, then shoving it into the locker, and bolting away from it, "Forget something?" I asked, laughing.

Lash glared at me. "You are so dead."

"If you can figure out a way of trapping or hurting me with out me getting out or hurting you back, then go for it."

Speed bolted towards me. After he ran for a few seconds I began to bolt, around the school and back to Mr. Medulla's door. I walked in, and went back to my table with Will.

"What was that all about?"

I smirked, "Lash tried to beat the crap out of me and put me in a locker."

"He put a kid with super-strength in a locker…"

"Yes. And he thought that it would have an effect."

"No one ever called Lash brilliant."

"That's true…"

We walked out of class, laughing. Will flew Layla and I home, as always, and I found something kind of bad waiting outside my house. Lash.

Reviewers ((Sorry my e-mail is messed so I don't have names)):  
Person #1: I know, I realized that Zach should have a different power AFTER I published Chapter 1. And I couldn't change it then!

Everyone else: Thanks for reviewing!


	5. The Encounter and The Punishment

D/C: I own Erika, Zach's dad and Lash's dad. Everything else belongs to Disney.

A/N: Reviews are appreciated.

**Chapter 5**  
_The Encounter and The Punishment_

I stood at the end of my driveway, why was Lash here? That was a dumb question; it was obvious why he was there. "My Dad won't be home for 2 hours." I said, walking up my driveway. I wasn't going to be intimidated by him. It was my house.

"Well, I'll just wait for him then."

"Have fun waiting outside." I opened my door, walked in, shut it and locked it. Leaving Lash sitting on the porch. I was walking up the stairs when I heard the door open, I thought to myself, '_Oh crap! Mom is home._' I bolted up to my room and acted as if I was doing homework before anyone called me downstairs.

My mom called my name, "Zach! Why did you leave your friend outside?"

I walked to the top of the stairs, "Lash isn't my friend. Lash is far from being my friend."

Lash was holding back a laugh. The hallway was kind of dark for 3:30 in the afternoon. And I had been trying to control myself from randomly starting to glow. I looked at my arm, it wasn't working. "Damn it." I cursed under my breath.

My mother looked at me, "Why don't you two go in Zach's room?" She suggested, obviously having no idea that Lash hated me. She didn't have any powers, she was just… normal. But that was all right, I just hated when she was stupid. Like now.

My eyes were wide, I didn't want Lash in my room… No. That wasn't going to happen. I ran to my room, but as soon as my mom had left, or I assumed she had left, Lash grabbed my shoulder and brought himself up to me. "You wouldn't disobey your own mother would you?"

"Yes. I would. Thanks for asking." I walked into my room, and Lash followed. I wanted to do something, something that Lash couldn't know about. I just laid down on my bed and worked on my homework.

Lash was busy snooping around my room, probably looking for something to use against me. Luckily, anything he could use against me was well hidden. That loose floorboard had done me some great help. The tree outside my window started to grow at an unexpected rate. "Layla!" I said, opening my window for her. I leaned out and whispered to her, "Lash is here, ignore him."

Layla nodded as I helped her into my room. She saw Lash and said nothing. I looked at her, "Well, what's up?"

"Nothing. Just came to see how you were doing."

"I'm fine. Kind of pissed off." I said, glaring at Lash's back as I said the last sentence.

Layla smiled, "I'd be mad too. I feel so bad for you." She smirked and added the last bit, which I had mentioned sometime before. "I'd hate having a potential super villain in my house."

I snickered as Lash turned around, "Note. I got out of jail. Penny and Gwen didn't."

"You're still a villain."

"At least I'd be a threat to society. At least I don't make trees grow." Lash snapped.

"She's the one that caught Penny." I snapped back, I knew something was going to start.

Lash glared at Layla, "You were?" He asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

"Yes I was. Who knew my powers were that strong?"

I smirked, "Don't you have places to be? Besides here annoying me."

"No. I have to talk to certain people. And he's not home yet."

"Oh, you're going to tell him that I beat you at Save the Citizen? Because I technically didn't do anything in the hall. You shoved me in a locker and I got out. Plain and simple. I didn't hurt you one bit. Although I truly wanted to."

"Of course if I do tell him that you did hurt me in the hallway, he'd believe me."

"Yes. He would. But at least I'd have the satisfaction of knowing you are a liar. And deserve to be out of my sight. And out of my room."

Layla stood beside me. My mom's plant that was right outside my room began to grow into my room, wrapping itself around Lash's ankles. I knew it was Layla doing this. And Lash had no way out. Until Layla let back.

I glared at Lash, "Will you leave me alone now?"

Lash glared at Layla and I, "I can't believe that a sidekick has this kind of power." He spat the word sidekick.

I glared at Lash. And Layla released him from the plant's grip. He went to lunge at her but I grabbed him and tossed him down the stairs, shutting and locking my door.

An hour later, Layla had left, and Lash was still in my living room. Then I heard my front door open. My father was home, I went over to my door, and unlocked it, then going back to my bed and working on my Hero Training assignment. An essay on the greatest hero I knew. Most people were doing their heroic parent. Me? I had no idea.

I heard Lash talking, then my dad. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but I could assure myself that it wasn't good.

I began writing, I decided I might as well write about my dad, I had no other ideas.

Then, the dreading came to me. I heard 2 pairs of footsteps storming up the stairs. One was louder than the other, one was my dad, the other was Lash. It seemed that Lash witnessed me getting in trouble more than my mother.

The door opened and I kept writing, as if I had never noticed their arrival. I wasn't the kind of kid who sucked up to parents. Especially when my arch enemy (as everyone was calling Lash) was right there with him.

My father stayed in the doorway, he cleared his throat. "Yes?" I asked as I continued writing my essay.

"Zach. Lash here says he's been nothing but nice to you." I bit my lip, holding back my laughter as my father continued, "And all you do is treat him badly. Have you ever heard of karma?"

I paused in my writing, "Yes. I have heard of karma. And this is a case of it. What goes around comes around. Lash treated me like crap when I was Hero Support. Now I'm a Hero and he still treats me like crap. I'm simply following the 'guidelines' of karma." I looked back down at my writing, I continued writing.

My father should have just taken Lash as his own son, since he would never believe me. "Zach. You need to stop lying to me. I've spoken to Lash and he says that he only treated you wrongly while you were Hero Support. Never when you were a hero."

"That argument seems pretty one-sided." I muttered under my breath.

Lash was standing by my window, probably watching out for Layla.

"Lash, why don't you refresh Zach's memory on the event this afternoon."

"Yes Mr. Braun." Lash said, and gave a totally reverse version of what had happened. "I was sitting in science, making a lightning ray with Speed. When Zach came in and told Mr. Medulla that Principal Powers wanted to see me. So I left the room, assuming that it wasn't truly Principal Powers that wanted to see me, but Zach and Will." He held back a smirk. "I asked what he wanted, and then Will asked me what I thought they wanted. I assumed that he wanted to beat me up so I said that. I threatened him to hit me, and he did. Then he shoved me into a locker, and I kept my finger down on the lock. Pulling myself out, and then I ran back to class."

So that was why he was here. He had changed the story to make me seem like the bad guy.

My father, the fool that he is, believed Lash, unfortunately for me. "Zachary. You are grounded."

My mouth fell open. I was being punished for Lash's actions. What was next? Would he torment me more by having Lash come here every day to torment me?

"And Zach. Since your mother is going out of town this week, Lash shall be making sure you aren't causing trouble. And remember. I'll hear everything." They both turned and left my room.

My mouth was still hanging open. "This can't be happening…" I said to myself.

((I dunno. I love Zach but I thought it would be fun to torment him. And his dad (in this story) is that type of person. To think his son isn't a good kid. But yeah. Review. Don't flame! Without a good reason…))


	6. Pain and Torture

D/C: I own Erika, Zach's dad and Lash's dad. Everything else belongs to Disney.

A/N: Reviews are appreciated.

**Chapter 6**  
_Pain and Torture_

I'm going to leave it at this. UGH! Not only to I have to be tormented by Lash at school, but home too. Thanks to him being a liar. And making my father believe every word that comes out of his mouth. Now I'm grounded. My mom is out of town for a week. And for that whole week, I have to see Lash first thing when I get home.

I got to school the next day. The whole ride I was talking to Layla and Will about my new punishment. And let me tell you this, I hope I get picked for Save The Citizen today. Will and I could take on just about anyone. With my anger.

We landed in front of the school. Layla went off with Maj, Ethan, and Erika. Will and I walked into the school. I was avoiding Lash, at all costs. It was best if I didn't see him during the day, because then I wouldn't be tempted to do anything stupid and get myself into more trouble.

We were sitting in Hero Training. Our teacher, Mr. Crane, was rambling on and on about his old days as a hero and how he retired. But no one cared. I sat next to Will. And we were talking about how we were going to get revenge on Lash.

"I say I beat the shit out of him. Then he won't mess with us anymore." Will said, smirking.

"I love that idea. Only he'll then say it wasn't you that beat the shit out of him, he'll say it was me." I replied, "Which would get me in even more trouble."

"So, how are you going to handle this afternoon?"

"I was thinking… well, Lash will be waiting at the front door. So you take Layla and me to my window, and she makes the tree grow, and I go in. He'll be sitting there until my dad gets home, and I'll have the whole house to myself."

"Zach… That's a great idea!" Will said, smirking.

"I say we use it."

"Definitely."

The day flew by. And then the end of it came. I had made it. A whole day without seeing Lash. Will, Layla, and I flew to my house. And Layla and I jumped onto one of the branches of the tree, and Layla made it grow up to my windowsill, and my window was already open.

Will had flown up with us, "Hey. Zach, why is your window already open?"

I looked at my window, "I did not open it…"

As soon as we reached the top, I saw what I had been dreading. Lash.

All three of us were surprised. Lash saw us, "Zach. You really think your dad would give me control over you until he gets home and then not give me a key? You are way dumber than you look."

I was more angered just then than I was ever. "I hate you." I said, not moving from the tree.

"I hate you too. Why do you think I'm doing this?" Lash stretched out his arms and grabbed my leg, "Now come on Zach. You're grounded. You shouldn't be with your friends."

"What the hell!" I couldn't get out of his grasp. I looked at his wrist and saw a silver band. I stopped struggling. I knew that band. It was my father's. It overpowered anyone's powers. Meaning Lash's stretching was currently more powerful than my strength, speed, and glowing. Even though the glowing had no effect on this.

Will and Layla flew away after my window was shut and locked.

I said nothing; once he let go of me I walked over to my bed and laid down, doing my homework.

Lash looked at me, "You aren't going to use this opportunity to your advantage?" He asked.

I ignored him once again.

"You have me here alone. And you can do anything you want."

I glared at him. "I'm not as dumb as I look."

"What are you talking about?"

"Like I can't see the silver band…"

"This thing? It's nothing!" Lash said. It was as if he was trying to get me to attack him.

"Nothing my radio-active ass."

"Well, if it's not nothing, then what is it."

"Let's put it this way. It's my dad's, and if you grab any part of me, your stretching over powers all of my powers."

"Whoa. You are smarter than you look."

"Yeah." I said, continuing to work on my homework, maybe now that I had proved to him that I wasn't going to do anything, he'd leave. At least, leave my room.

Lash left. And I smirked. "Little does he know." I whispered to myself. I walked over to my window, Layla had done as planned, she did not shrink the tree. I went to unlock the window and I got zapped. "Ow!" I shouted. "What the hell?" I saw sparks surrounding the lock on my window. "That bastard." I growled under my breath. I heard footsteps and I lunged back onto my bed.

Lash popped his head into my room, "Yeah. No one has the ability to unlock that window except your dad and me." He said, smirking. "So, you're stuck here!"

I looked at him, "What are you talking about?"

"I heard you say 'Ow' so I knew what had happened."

"I kicked the wall." I said, pointing to a dent in my wall.

"Then why are the sparks going?"

"Sparks? What sparks?"

Lash gave up and left.

I cursed under my breath, "Damn. This is going to be the longest week of my life."

Then the second worst person in my life came home. My dear old dad.

* * *

Reviewers: 

**Word:** I know there are parents like that. I just felt like putting that. And thanks for reading! And yes, I thought Will had it too easy. So Zach needed difficulties.

**Celestial Pendent:** That's a good idea… Mind if I use it after Zach gets off punishment?


	7. Plots, Hate, and Revenge

D/C: I own Erika, Zach's dad and Lash's dad. Everything else belongs to Disney.

A/N: Reviews are appreciated. I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY! I've had no inspiration. And I just got some.

**Chapter 7**  
_Plots, Hate, and Revenge_

Here I was, home with only my dear old Dad, and Lash. And I was grounded, I need an escape. But I didn't have one. I was amazed.

I heard my dad and Lash talking, about what? I didn't truly care. I didn't care about much of anything right now. What I cared about was getting out of the house.

My father came upstairs.

"I didn't do anything." I said, drawing and labeling a freeze beam.

"Zach, do you know why you're grounded?"

"Dad, we had this discussion yesterday."

He continued as if I didn't say anything, "You're grounded because you've been using your powers to torture Lash and other people."

"Other… people?" I asked, looking at Lash, who was snickering.

"Yes, that's what Lash said."

"So you'd believe him over your own son?"

"When I don't know if my son is lying or not, yes. I do."

"Well then, I guess I'll let you say what you were going to say. Seeing as nothing I say will change your mind."

My attitude made my father leave, that was the plan. Actually, there was no plan. I just thought that would be a good instant plan.

Lash went home and the evening flew by. Before I knew it. I was at school again.

Will looked at me, "Alright. What exactly went on?"

"The dude has my dad's band."

"What?"

"My dad has this silver band, it's like… villainous. He can overpower anyone if he has it on. And it's just… wow. It's just crazy."

"So Lash has it?"

"Lash has it until my dad gets home. Then he gives it back to my dad."

"So what else happened?"

"Well, from what I heard while eavesdropping, I'm grounded 'indefinitely.' However long that is."

"Whoa. That really sucks."

"Yeah. It does."

We went to gym, Save The Citizen, yeah that would be fun.

I sat with Will, Layla, and Erika. Erika looked at me, "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not."

She glared at me.

"Alright I am."

"What's wrong?"

"Life."

"Details…?"

"Lash and my dad are controlling my life."

She put her arm around me, "That's horrible Zach."

"Braun and Peace! You're up."

I looked up at the sound of my name. Will pushed me forward. I was at the gym floor. Warren was my partner. Lash and Speed were the villains again.

"Alright Braun. You stop them. I'll save the thing…"

"Alright Warren."

Coach Boomer started the clock. I decided to go after Speed first, I cornered him he tried to out-run me, but he couldn't. I grabbed him and dragged him over to Lash, I used Lash's arms to tie him to Speed, causing neither of them to be able to run. Yet, I could barely stretch Lash. That's when I looked at his wrist.

A glimpse of silver caught my eye. After I tied the two of them up Warren saved the citizen. "What took you?"

"Long ass story."

"Do I want to know?"

"No."

We freed the two idiots and went back to the bleachers.

Will looked at me with his eyebrow raised, "Dude… Lash looked like he was about to break free…"

"He has the band."

"He what…"

Erika and Layla both looked confused. "The what?" Layla asked.

Lash came over, "It's a power weakening band." He said, as if he was bragging about it.

"And it's not yours." I retorted, standing up in front of him.

"Oh? I thought in your eavesdropping you would've heard what Michael said."

"Michael…" He was on a first name basis with my dad. That was wrong.

"Yes. Michael gave me the band, he decided if I could over-power you, you wouldn't get yourself into trouble anymore."

My jaw dropped, "That's messed up."

"And so are you but no one says anything."

Gym ended and Will and I stormed out of the room. We had one more class before lunch. Where I'd see Lash again.

"What're you going to do?"

"I can't do it alone."

"We?"

"Me, you, Layla, Erika, Maj, and Ethan."

"Sweet. But what?"

"Erika and Layla both have hero status. Am I right?"

"Yeah, but they'd rather be sidekicks…"

"Exactly." I said, "Maj and Ethan will distract Lash and Speed, and then they'll see us and torment us, like always. Then we get Layla and Erika to come in, and they use their powers on the idiots."

"Zach… No offense but… I always thought you were an idiot."

"But you were wrong."

"Definitely."

"Wait…"

"What?"

"How are we going to get the band?"

"That Will, is where you come in."

"Huh?"

I whispered the plan to him.

((Come on, we don't want dear old Cee to give it ALL away do we))  
((Loads of dialogue in this chapter... Confused? Just review and I'll explain what's what.))  
Reviewers:

Word: Brains overpower brawn. Definitely. I'm updating just for you!

Celestial Pendent: I would… But Lash would ruin it… And well… Yeah. But I will after the punishment. Or maybe Zach will go insane and like… not come home.. I dunno..

XxZombie: I'm going to save Zach… Soon. Don't worry. And I know I'm being mean. cackles


	8. Revenge Never Tasted So Sweet

**Disclaimer:** I own what I own. And not what the Disney owns.

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the lack of update. School, new computer… Actually, I got a new writing program. 33

**Chapter 8  
**_Revenge Never Tasted So Sweet_

It took everything I had in me not to cackle when I arrived at school the next day. Apparently word had gotten out about my little plan. When I got to school, Lash came up to me, "Whatever you're planning. It's not going to work."

"Who said I was planning anything?" Seriously. Who would be dumb enough to tell him?

"I have my sources." And with that the stretching idiot was gone.

"Like eavesdropping." I muttered under my breath, I walked over to Will. "Lunch."

Will nodded. "Hey, you told Erika, Layla, Ethan, and Magenta?"

"I thought you did!" I exclaimed.

Will smiled, "I'm just kidding." He explained to me, "I just wanted to see your reaction. Of course I told them!"

I smacked him for that little number. "Let's get in." I said, turning towards the school, walking towards the entrance.

"Only 2 classes."

"Until the plan."

We entered our class; we walked to our History of Heroes class. The two of us sat in the back of the room. I took out my paper to make it look like I was taking notes on Miss Andre's speech. In a way, I was taking notes. Just not about the speech.

Here's what my paper read:

_Get Ethan in the hall, alone._

_Make Magenta join him._

_Find a way to get Lash and Speed over there, their teasing instincts will lure them._

_Layla shows up. Erika, a few minutes later. They use their powers to distract the circus monkeys._

_Will flies in overhead, snatches the band off of Lash. I heard Father say it only effects me. Yeah that's fair. _

_I make my move. _(Author's Note: Like I'd give away his part of the plan?)

That and Science flew by. I met up with Ethan and Magenta in the hall. "Stand here. And have a conversation." I hissed under my breath, but loud enough for the two to hear me. "When they come, say something like 'No! Leave me alone!' And then Layla and Erika will show up."

My friends nodded. I ran off towards a different hall, where Layla, Erika, and Will were. "Okay. Layla, Erika, when Maj and Ethan say something to try and make the circus monkeys stop, that's where you come in. Got it?"

The two girls nodded, and I looked at Will. "And you know your part."

"Better than you know."

I nodded, "Alright. And now, we wait."

About 10 minutes later, we heard Maj call, "No! Leave us alone!"

Cue the girls. And as if they could read my mind. I saw them walk up to Lash. Vines quickly wrapped around Lash's arms and legs, while Speed was trying to avoid fireballs. Yet it seemed as if there were more coming, I looked at Erika, and saw something I didn't expect. Warren. I shrugged, that would work.

Since the monkeys seemed a little tied up, Will took that as his cue. Anyone in the hall saw Will flying over the mobs, lunging at Lash, snatching the band and flying to me. I smirked. I placed the band on my arm, and saw something I had never seen on it before, a number pad. I placed in my dad's pin number (don't ask how I knew it…) and a list of names came up. I pushed the buttons to select Lash. And I walked over to them, I had no idea what I was doing. Warren, Layla, and Erika backed away. 2 against 1. Me being the one.

"This is going to call for reinforcements." Lash said, going to reach for his arm, apparently, he hadn't noticed Will.

I lifted my arm. "Looking for this?" I asked him. A smirk on my face.

"Give it to me you little worm!"

Only the two of us and Will knew the importance of this band. "Come and get it."

"But you… I… You…"

"Speechless are we you little monkey?"

Everyone in the hall laughed. It wasn't everyday that you'd see a sophomore take on 2 seniors. Let alone Lash and Speed.

Lash's jaw dropped, "I'm so going to…"

I cut him off, "Tell my dad? Go ahead. I've had my fun. And unless you want to suffer you will tell him what has really been going on."

Lash glared at me, "Oh? And how are you going to make me?"

I shook my head and sighed. "No one ever called you the sharpest tool in the shed did they?" Alright, time to explain. "I have the band."

"Not for long." He tried lunging at me.

I put my other arm out and it stopped him instantly. "If my father realizes that you don't have it, he's going to think you busted it."

"But Michael wouldn't."

"Michael, as you so disgustingly call him, cares about his band more than himself." I said, "And anything anyone tells him about the band, including me, is believed."

"What are you getting at?"

"You tell him what you've been doing. That you've been lying. And life goes back to normal."

"It will never be normal again."

"Oh yes, because you don't have me to torment anymore. How sad for you." I took this as my last verbal blow. "But alas, you'll still have my dear old dad for your pleasure." I walked out of that hallway. I went towards my next class.

I heard something I never thought I'd hear, "Zach! Zach! Zach! Zach!" It was a steady chant of my name.

I turned around, it was a mob of sidekicks. My friends. Erika was leading the chant. I smiled. She ran up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I love you Zach."

"Erika, I love you too."

((Happy Ending! Don't worry though loves. I'm going to add an epilogue.))  
((Sorry for ending at Chapter 8. But there's no point in going on!))

Reviewers:

Xtreme Nuisance: What do you think of your cute Lash now: p

Word: Thanks for the compliments. And thanks for your reviewing throughout the fic. I hope to see you review my next fic.

Nasamuffin: Here's that update for ya.

xxZombie: Sorry that his saving had to be the last chapter.


	9. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** I own what I own. And not what the Disney owns.

**Author's Note:** The Epilogue is the Graduation. Zach gets his sidekick, and a fun name.

**Epilogue**

_The Aftermath_

The day had finally come. I had graduated as a hero. Will and I were at the top of class. Maybe some out-of-class experience helped us with that.

Not naming names, but Lash and Speed.

I was now, officially, Zack Attack. The one who could glow, run really fast, and had super-strength. My sidekick was none other than my girlfriend, Erika, or as I called her, Fireheart. Yup, that was her sidekick name.

It was one of those days; Will, Layla, Erika, and I were out fighting crime. More specifically, we were battling our archenemies. These archenemies were none other than Lash and Speed.

Or should I say, Stretch Boy and The Young Speed Wonder. When we found out they were after us…

We died laughing.

Not only because of the names, but because they had been our archenemies ever since we were freshmen. Before Will and I became major heroes, and were off being sidekicks.

Then all the drama of sophomore year. Of course, I don't have to get into that again.

But the short of it is, Dad found out that I had been telling the truth the entire time. And now that he is retired, he's turning over the Braun band to me. God, that felt rather weird.

Not really, since, unknowingly to him, I had worn it before.

_**Flashback**_

"_Zach… I'm really sorry about the way I've treated you this year…"_

"_You should be."_

"_You were right… And I was wrong, I should've believed you over Lash…"_

"_Yup. You should have."_

"_Please talk to me? I have to tell you something…"_

_I turned around and looked at him, "You've disgraced me. I don't know if I could look at you the same again."_

_I heard him sigh, and he set something on my bed, then left._

_It was the band._

_**End Flashback**_

And I still have it to this day, I use it of course, but it doesn't give me the jolt it used to. Oh well! It helps me triumph over "Stretch Boy" and "The Young Speed Wonder".

I still cannot get over that.

But this is my life, Zach Attack, Fireheart, The Flying Fist (Will), and Layla. She refused to take a sidekick name.

But the four of us are basically what Commander Steve Stronghold, wanted him, Jetstream/Josie and Will to be after Will's graduation. Luckily, Will convinced him out of it. That was definitely a good thing. For we would've been so dead without him and Layla.

But we had them. So we weren't dead.

I was glad to be a hero.

My life at Sky High was done.


End file.
